Why Can Driving an Older Car Be Bad for Your Safety?

There are a few things in life that get better with age – unfortunately, your car isn’t one of them. While it might seem like your reliable old motor will last forever, the truth is that parts will eventually wear out. Even if it seems perfectly fine to drive, hanging on to an old car could be bad for the safety of you and your passengers.

Here are just a few reasons why.

Fewer Safety Features

Firstly, older vehicles lack most of the modern safety features you’ll find in a new car. In fact, a brand-new car will probably have several safety systems fitted by law that weren’t included with your old model – possible examples include anti-locking brakes and vehicle stability control. What an older car certainly won’t have is the latest driver assistance technologies, such as lane departure warning and automatic emergency braking. Upgrading to a newer model could mean gaining access to features that save your life one day.

Less Sophisticated Body Structure

One of the most modern things about modern cars is the part you’ll never see. Under the exterior lines will be an incredibly sophisticated body structure. In the unlikely event of a collision, these new body structures are designed to crumple intelligently in a way that directs harmful impact energy away from the passenger compartment. Having such high-end engineering on your side could dramatically improve your safety if you’re ever involved in an accident.

Increased Risk of Problems

Finally, keep in mind just how much more likely it is you’ll suffer a problem out on the road when you’re driving something well past its prime. Sure, most of the time even a major breakdown will happen slowly enough for you to avoid danger, but that’s not always the case. If something goes wrong when you’re travelling at speed, it could cause you to lose control.

Written by Karl Peters

Karl is a university graduate with years of experience in casual writing and freelance services. Always up to date on the latest trends and working hard to bring these trends to the forefront of the public eye. Lover of beer, dogs and cars and dedicated to being the best bachelor bro.